Have you ever gotten back home after a long hike and then almost instantly feel so tired and sleepy? Many people think that it can be a bad sign for your overall health condition, but for this article, we have consulted that information with a few doctors to give you the most accurate answer and tips on what you should do about it, so if you ask yourself “Why do I feel sleepy after hiking” then stay with us to learn more about it.
The short answer for 99% percent of people is that is not unusual. It is related to the drastic drop in your blood pressure, but a small number of people should consult with a doctor when they see something that’s odd, and we will tell you more about it in this article, but for now, let’s focus on most common reason which is lowering blood pressure.
Why do I feel tired and sleep?
Doing any exhausting activity will increase your blood pressure, and when you get mentally or physically tired or even both, then your blood pressure and pulse normalize, you may feel sleepy.
Sleep is necessary for our brain and body to recover. When your body won’t get enough sleep you will have to face a lot of consequences like hallucinations, tiredness, lower strength, headaches, and even issues with thinking.
If you are not very well experienced in hiking, or you recently had a longer break for example for winter or holidays then your body will become sore and tired more often, in comparison to hikers that have done this regularly without bigger breaks.
There are also some questions if your body is well prepared for your next hike, for example:
- Did you get enough sleep?
- Did you eat enough?
- Is your overall body condition in a good shape?
- Are you mentaly prepared for a hike?
Those things can make you tired and sleepy after a few minutes of the hike, so answer those questions honestly before your next hike!
How can I prevent being sleepy after hiking?
In most cases, it is inevitable and unhealthy to avoid sleeping after an exhausting activity so you should let your body do the thing what it needs and get into your bed, but there are some ways to cheat a bit if you really need to. For example, if you feel sleepy when you get back to your car but there is still a long way to your home.
In this case, you can drink a coffee or do a little bit of a workout before you will start the engine. That will give your brain enough energy to be more active, but that is only a short-term solution. Coffee and workout won’t make you active for more than an hour so don’t expect miracles.
If coffee and workout are not enough then a quick nap can give you some power. If you don’t want to spend money you can unfold the driver’s seat, set an alarm for at least 2 hours, and get some sleep. That should be enough to let you drive to your home.
Is it dangerous If I feel sleepy after a hike?
In most cases, it is a totally common thing after an intensive workout like hiking, but it also shows that your body has been pushed too hard for some period of time and it needs to regenerate, so if you previously didn’t notice that behavior of your body then maybe your current stamina is in worse shape than it was before.
There are some rare cases where this can be caused by your health condition, and to check if everything is ok, you will need to consult a doctor and do a blood count and check if your body is missing something important.
In summary – Why do I feel sleepy after hiking?
You don’t have to panic right off the bat because your body is telling you what it needs, and in most cases, you have pushed yourself more than you usually do and your body needs to recover a bit. If you are really worried then a blood count analysis will give you the answers.
When you feel tired don’t try to fight it and get to your bed for a quick nap. If you want to know more about hiking then check out our new article about “Can Hiking Replace Running? – (7 Tips To Increase Stamina)“
